Ford Bronco

Ford Bronco at a glance

The Bronco belongs to our Ford catalogue. Its natural rival, the Jeep Wrangler, and the Land Rover Defender can be compared with it in our Bronco vs Wrangler comparison and in our comparison tool.

Bronco generations

The original compact model, 1966–1977

Ford designed the first Bronco as a small, light off-roader rather than a converted pickup. It had its own frame with a short 2,337 mm (92 in) wheelbase, shared with no other Ford. The base engine was the 170 cu in six with 78 kW (105 hp); from March 1966 the 289 V8 with 149 kW (200 hp) was available, replaced by the 302 V8 in 1969. A three-speed manual was the only gearbox until 1973, when a three-speed automatic and the 200 cu in six arrived.

The first one cost US$2,194 in 1966. For 1971 Ford offered the Baja Bronco package at US$5,566 in 1971 against US$3,665 for a regular V8 Bronco; only about 650 were sold in four years. Wikipedia's yearly table adds up to 225,585 first-generation cars, German Wikipedia gives 230,800.

Full-size years on the F-Series chassis, 1978–1996

In 1978 the model became a full-size SUV based on a shortened F-100 pickup frame with a 2,642 mm (104 in) wheelbase. The only engines were V8s: the 351M with 116 kW (156 hp) and 355 Nm, and the 400 with 118 kW (158 hp) and 376 Nm. In two model years Ford built 181,955 of them, more in 1979 (104,038) than in 1978.

The third generation (1980–1986) moved to the new F-150 chassis and offered a 4.9-litre straight six again. The 351 Windsor with 157 kW (210 hp) came in 1984, and the 302 received fuel injection and 142 kW (190 hp) for 1985. The Eddie Bauer trim was introduced in 1985, and the SUV was also assembled in Australia. In 1981 it was sold in Germany with a 4.9-litre V8 of 104 kW (142 PS).

The fourth generation (1987–1991) was based on the eighth-generation F-150 and brought rear-wheel ABS as standard and, from 1988, a Mazda-built five-speed manual; automatics were the C6, the AOD and the electronic E4OD. The 1991 Silver Anniversary Edition was the first with leather seats. The fifth generation (1992–1996) took the styling of the ninth-generation F-150; from 1994 only V8s were offered.

On 17 June 1994 a white 1993 Bronco XLT driven during the police pursuit of O. J. Simpson was watched live by about 95 million North Americans. The last classic one was built on 12 June 1996. Ford said the end had nothing to do with the chase because sales were already falling, and the four-door Expedition replaced it for 1997.

The sixth generation from 2021

The new model was revealed on 13 July 2020 after delays caused by the pandemic, and customers could reserve one for US$100. Production began on 14 June 2021 at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne. The body-on-frame chassis comes from the Ford Ranger. The two-door has a 2,550 mm wheelbase and is 4,440 mm long; the four-door has a 2,949 mm wheelbase and is 4,811–4,839 mm long. Both have frameless doors that can be removed and stored in the vehicle, and a removable roof.

The manual is really a six-speed with an extra crawler gear. Kerb weights range from 1,948 to 2,131 kg for the two-door and from 2,026 to 2,317 kg for the four-door.

The trims run from Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond and Outer Banks to Badlands, Wildtrak and, from 2022, the Everglades and the Bronco Raptor. Special editions included the 2021 First Edition, a Heritage Edition limited to 1,966 cars per body style and the Stroppe Edition, which cost US$77,665 in 2025 and US$69,995 in 2026. The very first production First Edition was sold at a 2021 charity auction for US$1,075,000.

Off-road technology

• Four-wheel drive: 2WD High, 4WD Automatic, 4WD High and 4WD Low, with electronically locking front and rear differentials.
• G.O.A.T. modes (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain): Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Baja, Mud and Ruts, and Rock Crawl.
• Ground clearance: 295 mm (11.6 in) for standard models, 333 mm (13.1 in) for the Raptor.
• Sasquatch package: a mild suspension lift with 35-inch tyres.
• Bronco Raptor (2022): four-door only, 3.0 V6 with 312 kW, 2,177 mm wide.

Sales in Europe and China

Ford announced in July 2022 that it would sell the SUV in Europe in limited numbers, and imports started at the end of 2023. Only the long four-door is offered, with the 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 rated at 246 kW (335 PS) and 563 Nm and the ten-speed automatic, in Badlands and Outer Banks trim. In Germany prices started at €74,500 in 2023, according to Motor1.

In China, Jiangling Ford has built it since January 2024 with the 2.3-litre engine and the four-door body only. The Bronco New Energy sold there is a separate China-only model.

Reliability, recalls and owner reports

Two long-term owners shared their experience, as summarised by Ford Authority:

• A 2021 Badlands with the 2.3 and the seven-speed manual reached 160,000 km (100,000 miles). Its gearbox housing cracked at about 145,000 km (90,000 miles) and the transmission was replaced; there were "quite a few small things" besides.
• A 2021 Bronco that covered about 82,000 km (51,000 miles) in four years had a whistling bonnet, a buzzing speaker, a failed keypad, camera faults and wiring chewed by rodents. In 2025 alone it was called back four times, for the rear dampers of Sasquatch models, the rear camera, the fuel pump and seat bolts.

Sales figures since 2021

Photo gallery